


Thumb War A.K.A. An Excuse To Hold Hands

by sandean_cas



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Courtship (Supernatural), Angst, BAMF Castiel (Supernatural), Castiel Deserves to be Loved (Supernatural), Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Castiel Makes Pie (Supernatural), Castiel Makes Pie For Dean Winchester, Castiel Makes the First Move (Supernatural), Castiel and Dean Winchester Have a Profound Bond, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Castiel and Dean Winchester Use Their Words, Castiel and Dean Winchester in Love, Castiel in the Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Castiel is Not Oblivious (Supernatural), Castiel is Protective of Dean Winchester, Castiel is a Winchester (Supernatural), Chick-Flick Moments, Confused Sam Winchester, Courting Rituals, Courtship, Cute, Dean Winchester Deserves Nice Things, Dean Winchester Has a Crush on Castiel, Dean Winchester Loves Castiel, Dean Winchester Loves Pie, Dean Winchester is Loved, Dean Winchester is Not Oblivious, Dean Winchester is So Whipped, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Eye Sex, Fluff, Happy Ending, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oblivious Sam Winchester, Sam Winchester Needs Glasses, Sam Winchester Needs a Hug, Sam Winchester Ships Castiel/Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester is Not Amused, Sam Winchester is Scarred For Life, Sam Winchester is So Done, Sam Winchester is a Saint, Staring, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21944398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandean_cas/pseuds/sandean_cas
Summary: Cass’ nose is almost poking Dean’s eye out but his face is the picture of concentration as he pinches Dean’s nose between his thumb and fore-finger, his other hand covering Dean’s mouth completely.“Okay. What the hell?” he announces.The thumb war is explainable, the twister was actually nice and though the dancing was strange, it has nothing on this.“You two having a staring contest?” Sam wonders.“No Sam.” Cass explains, picking up the stop watch. “Dean said he could hold his breath for two minutes. I didn’t believe him.”“Ha-ha! Sucker!” Dean wheezes as the watch beeps.“Though,” Cass rubs his chin in consideration, “A staring contest is a very good idea Dean.”Then they both sit pull up a chair and sit, bending forward to rest their elbows on their knees in a way that pushes their faces even closer.“Let’s begin.” Cass announces.Dean nods once, then they stare.By now Sam should be used to it. But as bad as they may be, they’ve never stared at each other for over two minutes before.…Sam is flabbergasted.Cass is engineering these… games, in order to get closer to Dean. Physically closer.And Sam wants to know why.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Castiel & Sam Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 12
Kudos: 362





	Thumb War A.K.A. An Excuse To Hold Hands

Sam heads out to the main room. And of course, instead of seeing Dean and Cass sitting quietly going through the lore books, he sees Dean and Cass locked in mortal combat, in the form of a thumb war.

It’s the closest the two have come to holding hands but they seem less concerned about the physical contact and more concerned about one upping the other. Dean’s jaw is clenched and his muscles are clenched whilst Cass barely seems to be breaking a sweat, his eyes are the tiniest bit squinty. If anything, he seems to be playing cat and mouse with Dean; trying to _avoid_ doing anything that would give him the opportunity to win.

Sam would think it strange… except he barely understands most things Cass does. It he wants to drag a game of thumb war with Dean into eternity then so be it. Dean for his part, seems none the wiser. Sam certainly isn’t going to be the one to point it out. Not when they’ve just made amends.

…

The next time Sam notices something strange is when he finds them both in knots above a twister board.

“Sam can you spin for us?” Dean calls. “We’re a bit… tied up.”

Sam rolls his eyes but complies. Dean playing twister… or any board game for that matter is a rare sight. That he isn’t complaining is even more shocking. “Cass. Right foot; yellow.”

The angel glances woefully behind him. “Really Sam.” He grumbles.

“Don’t blame me. Blame the game.”

Cass, who’s right foot is currently sharing a red space with Dean, tries to move it backward but the angle isn’t right and he only dislodges Dean’s leg and fells them both. Cass is lying almost completely on Dean who just seems to melt into the floor under the weight. Sam can’t hide his laugh at the pile of limbs that were formerly his friend and brother. Cass doesn’t seem intent on moving until Dean wiggles, trying to get his hands unpinned.

“Wait. Where are you going?” he asks.

“We gotta start over Cass.” He looks to Sam then, “and he calls me the lumberjack.”

…

The other things, Sam could pass off as flukes.

However, the raucous banging and laughter coming from Dean’s room is so out of character for them both that Sam just about trips over his legs getting there. Though he has his lock pick at the ready, Dean’s door is sprawling open.

Inside, are Dean and Cass, each holding a Wii controller, dancing along (very badly) to lady Gaga’s ‘Just Dance’.

Cass seems to be winning in points but then Dean slaps his ass and he completely freezes, missing the next series of movements. Sam shakes his head and walks off.

…

Next, he finds Cass and Dean in the kitchen.

Cass’ nose is almost poking Dean’s eye out but his face is the picture of concentration as he pinches Dean’s nose between his thumb and fore-finger, his other hand covering Dean’s mouth completely.

“Okay. What the hell?” he announces.

The thumb war is explainable, the twister was actually nice and though the dancing was strange, it has nothing on this.

Without looking away from Dean, Cass holds up a finger, telling him to wait.

He stands there almost a minute before a timer sounds that makes Dean shove Cass away and heave in oxygen like it’s pie.

Cass seems disappointed.

“You two having a staring contest?” Sam wonders.

“No Sam.” Cass explains, picking up the stop watch. “Dean said he could hold his breath for two minutes. I didn’t believe him.”

“Ha-ha! Sucker!” Dean hollers, sticking his tongue out.

“Though,” Cass rubs his chin in consideration, “A staring contest _is_ a very good idea Dean.”

Then they both sit pull up a chair and sit, bending forward to rest their elbows on their knees in a way that pushes their faces even closer.

“Let’s begin.” Cass announces.

Dean nods once, then they stare.

By now Sam should be used to it. But as bad as they may be, they’ve never stared at each other for over two minutes before. Dean, as expected, breaks first, blinking away the tears from his eyes and huffs in frustration.

“I win.” Cass announces, still not looking away.

…

Sam is flabbergasted.

Confounded in the worst of ways.

It makes no sense, this little dance that they engage in. Of course Castiel, angel of the Lord, would last the longest without blinking. And let’s not talk about how unnecessary Cass smothering Dean’s face with his hand is. A finger by his nose and mouth would have been more than adequate.

There’s no denying it, or wishing it away.

Cass is engineering these… games, in order to get closer to Dean. Physically closer.

And Sam wants to know why.

He finds Cass while he’s alone in the library.

“Why are you playing games that involve touching Dean?” Sam does his best not to sound too confrontational. It’s simple curiosity after all.

The frightened deer look on Cass’ face tells him that that plan didn’t work.

“Sam – I – I –” The angel looks guilty; guiltier than he should look for something so minor. “Please don’t make me say it.”

Revert to confuffulation.

“What?” he asks, in genuine confusion.

Scowling, Cass looks away. “You know I like Dean.”

Sam laughs. “Of course you like Dean. If you didn’t then you wouldn’t have stuck around so long.”

Cass cocks his head. “No Sam. I like Dean.”

“Yeah, we’ve established that dude.” Sam says, “But why are you playing those games?”

“Because I like Dean.” He repeats.

“I don’t think you und-” Sam stills, twelve years of memories flashing through his brain. “ _How_ do you like Dean?”

“You know how.” He bristles, clearly uncomfortable with Sam dragging the conversation along. But holy shit this is huge.

“Are you in love with him?”

A beat of silence, that is far too long for Sam’s liking, elapses. “Of course.”

_Of course._

And that means that Sam’s been blind for more than a decade.

“I need my eyes tested.” He breathes.

Cass squints at him, bewildered. “No you don’t. Your vision is perfect.”

“You do know Cass.” He states gently, “That if I’ve noticed the… theme, of your games, then that means that Dean has too, right?”

He smiles softly, “Oh Sam, he’s aware.”

That makes him pull back. Dean _aware?_ And a disaster hadn’t happened? How could this be?

“In fact, he suggests many of the games we play. Like twister, making and tasting pies and thumb war.” Cass is almost beaming now. He leans in a bit closer and whispers, “I believe we are engaging in a courtship ritual.”

Oh you bet.” He manages. “That’s great Cass.” Trust Dean to drag this along for years. Sure, he will be over the moon once he finally processes but now though, feels dizzy. He _definitely_ needs glasses.

“He likes thumb war because it lets you guys hold hands.”

“Indeed.”


End file.
